Chapter 9
They took me to the hospital.
My old fans showed up first. Then the new ones-the ones who fell for the woman who refused to break in Modern Robinson.
They surrounded the building, shouting themselves hoarse, demanding answers from Rourke Entertainment and Vance Holdings.
The truth came out.
And when it did, it hit everyone like a slap.
Regret spread fast.
Cassian dropped to his knees beside my bed, his
eyes
bloodshot.
“Aurelia… I looked into everything. She framed you.”
“You didn’t hurt her. You didn’t send anyone after her.”
His voice broke.
“I was wrong… please… just forgive me.”
Evander stood frozen at the door, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.
My parents shoved him inside.
Only then did my mother really look at me.
At the scars.
She collapsed beside the bed, tears pouring down her face.
“Aurelia… we failed you. We were blinded. We let you suffer like this…”
My father’s voice trembled.
“My daughter… it’s over now. I swear, no one will ever hurt you again.”
Evander raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face.
“I was blind,” he said hoarsely. “I was the worst kind of brother.”
100.00%
“Yell at me. Hit me. Do whatever you want just don’t shut the out.”
I watched them-all of them-regret, guilt, desperation written all over their faces, and felt
nothing.
I only asked one question. “Where’s Delphine?”
Cassian hesitated for a second, then answered quickly, “We sent her to the island. The same one.
She needs to reflect on what she’s done…”
“No.”
I cut him off.
“It doesn’t matter what you thought I did.”
“It doesn’t matter what she actually did.”
I met his eyes.
“Every crime should be judged by the law.”
“And that includes all of you.”
What happened to me made global headlines.
I spoke up again and again, telling the truth of what I went through.
With the help of fans, activists, and the legal system, Delphine was pulled off the island and formally charged.
Six months later, the trial ended.
Every one of them was sentenced. They paid for what they did.
Before prison, Cassian transferred all his assets to me, a last attempt at redemption
Then he sent me a message.
[Aurelia, I’ve already filed for divorce through the court. Wait for me.]
{The agreement you signed was fake. We’re still married. We can start over. We can have another
child.)
i didn’t reply.
I found a quiet place for my child and laid him to rest.
I hoped that wherever he was, there was no pain-only peace.
I donated every dollar Cassian gave me.
Vance Holdings collapsed under internal conflict, torn apart piece by piece until nothing remained
but an empty shell.
And none of it had anything to do with me anymore.
That island couldn’t trap me.
No one could.
